First of all I just want to say thank you to this sub and the many other sim racing subreddits. I am a recovering alcohol and cocaine addict and for some reason with my new found sobriety I have fallen into sim racing. My dad used to watch everything motorsports when I was a kid and I guess I am circling back around to things from my childhood. If I get urges or have a particularly tough day, I take it to the track and just do laps and laps and laps. For some reason I just really like the feeling I get from playing this game and look forward to getting into the others as well.

​

I am writing because I am having trouble. I have about 19 hours in (I know that is not a lot) but I feel like I have hit a wall on getting better and started regressing. I try to make small changes and adjust, but I think my race craft is just all over the place. I am having the hardest time with cornering. Playing on PC with a PS5 controller until I can get myself one of the entry level Logitech wheels while I plan to save up for a nice Fanatec. I guess what I am asking are what are some of your best beginners tips. I just can't seem to keep speed through corners (especially hard corners) and typically end up breaking too early. I feel like I am just behind mentally as I go into the corner and being in my head like "Ok, break on the straight, trail off and head for the apex, ease on the throttle on the way out" but more often than not I tend to miss the mark. A few times a play session I am hitting the "flow" state where a corner or section just feels right and I want to make that more frequent. I have been watching every youtube I can find and watching hot laps like crazy. Even downgraded myself back to F2 only to and try to do at least 5-10 laps on the first three or four tracks a day until I can find some good rhythm. A couple questions I have are:

- Is flat out on the throttle pretty much reserved for straights. I find myself when I am trying to get back up to speed out of a corner maybe being a little too eager to make up the time I lost in the corner and either spin out or I start to feel like I am almost about to lose it.

- Is sliding through corners a little bit "normal" some of my best corners have had a little bit of slide, but I worry as I get better I will be ripping through tires like crazy on the longer races

- Are there any good resources for understanding race setups and the options for downforce etc. I have been sticking strictly to the pre-made setups for just about everything.

- Really having trouble with the calibration of the controller. Started with a Youtube video and have just made small tweaks, but I am about to start completely from scratch going one setting or just doing brakes, then throttle, steering and adjusting them as I see fit after that.

- How to not drive with your body if that makes sense. On a longer session when I get up I am sore from tensing up when I approach the corners and I want to get this settled before I get a wheel that starts to fight back.

​

Any help is appreciated. Dump your favorite resources, Youtube channels, websites or whatever you got. Thinking about getting a copy of ultimate race secrets because it has been recommended here a couple times before. Thanks in advance!